What’s the difference between coaching and therapy?

Understanding the difference between coaching and therapy can help you determine which path is right for you. While both offer support and transformation, they serve different purposes. Below, you'll find the key differences to help you make an informed decision about your healing journey.

COACHING

  • Coaching acknowledges the past but prioritizes moving forward, helping you explore how your early-life experiences have shaped your current beliefs and behaviors. By identifying your challenges, you can take intentional steps to shift your mindset, create new ways of thinking, and grow toward your goals.

  • In coaching, you are at the forefront of your healing journey. It is customized to fit your individual needs, pace, and goals, allowing you to take charge of the changes you want to make and the growth you seek.

  • Coaching is for clients ready to break free from trauma-driven thought and behavior patterns. It empowers you to deepen your self-awareness of what is holding you back, rewire survival-based responses, and reclaim your ability to move forward with confidence and self-trust.

THERAPY

  • Therapy helps clients address the roots of their past and the challenges of their present by processing trauma and complex mental health struggles. It is especially beneficial for those dealing with depression, anxiety, or other acute psychological issues

  • In therapy, the therapist may assess, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions, providing specialized support for emotional and psychological healing. The pace is often set by the therapist, based on clinical needs.

  • Therapy is ideal for individuals who need deeper trauma healing, crisis intervention, or acute psychiatric care. This is for those facing significant emotional distress or psychological struggles that require professional support. If you’re in immediate distress, therapy or professional mental health support is the best fit.